U.S. Men's National Team: Picking the Full 23-Man Roster for World Cup 2014

With CONCACAF qualifiers for World Cup 2014 now in full swing, many United States Men’s National Team fans have begun thinking about what the squad will look like in two years.

With a flood of new prospects that would have seemed unimaginable just two years ago, the USMNT is poised to have another solid World Cup in Brazil.

Let’s take a look at who might make the 23-man roster.

Nick Rimando

The Real Salt Lake netminder will be 35 by the time Brazil rolls around, but he offers a nice blend of experience and athleticism.

Although Rimando has been relegated to cameo appearances for the Nats, usually in unimportant friendlies, he has shined when given the chance.

Brad Guzan

Guzan has been the go-to backup for Tim Howard over the past few years on the rare occasion Howard is unavailable.

However, if Guzan doesn’t start finding some first-team football soon, he could lose his backup place to an up-and-comer like Sean Johnson or a strong veteran like Dan Kennedy.

Tim Howard

With shutouts against Mexico at Estadio Azteca and against Manchester United in his last two games, Timmy Howard is showing he is still at his very best.

Steve Cherundolo

Even though he will be 35 by the time the 2014 World Cup starts, Steve Cherundolo will keep his place for two reasons.

First, he is still playing at a very high level—captaining Hannover in the Bundesliga.

Second, the American team’s depth at outside back is woeful.

Eric Lichaj

The versatile outside back was beginning to make a name for himself under former USMNT manager Bob Bradley, but has yet to feature under current head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

Lichaj will continue to improve as he gains more and more playing time with Aston Villa and will eventually force Klinsmann to give him the chance he deserves.

An added bonus of including Lichaj on the roster is that he can play on both the right and left side of the USMNT’s defense.

Geoff Cameron

The 27-year-old is just starting to hit the peak of his career and was a huge part of the team's historic win over Mexico last week.

Now with Stoke City in the English Premier League, Cameron will only continue to get better.

Carlos Bocanegra

Even though Bocanegra is nearing the end of his career and will be 35 by the time the next World Cup begins, he is still the U.S.’s most consistent defender.

Tim Ream

Ream, at 24, is still a little wet behind the ears internationally, but will have had two more seasons at Bolton under his belt by the time 2014 rolls around.

The added experience will help him shake off some of his past struggles and he will provide some nice depth to the U.S. squad.

Omar Gonzalez

Once he is finally 100 percent recovered from the ACL injury he suffered this winter, expect Gonzalez’s stock to rise rapidly.

When he was injured, he was on trial with FC Nuremberg and could be making a permanent move to Europe once he finds his form again.

Gonzalez is only 23 years old, and by 2014 he should be playing at a level high enough to displace Clarence Goodson.

Fabian Johnson

Johnson has been a revelation for the USMNT over the past year, and barring a major injury will be a huge part of the team’s setup for years to come.

Johnson is excellent at going forward, is very calm on the ball and gives the U.S. the natural left-footed defensive player it has been looking for for years.

Michael Bradley

Bradley’s star has shown as brightly as any other player on the USMNT over the past year as consistent playing time for Chievo translated into a number of solid performances for the Nats and a high profile transfer to AS Roma.

Bradley is the lynchpin of the U.S. midfield.

Maurice Edu

Edu’s versatility helps earn him a spot as he can be deployed as either a defender or midfielder.

When used as a defensive midfielder, Edu also provides an opportunity for Michael Bradley to be used in more of a box-to-box role.

Although Edu is still looking for a new club, he will most likely be moving to England in the next week or so.

Jose Torres

Despite some very average performances with the USMNT over the past few months, Torres offers the team a great deal of versatility as he can play as a box-to-box center midfielder, an attacking midfielder and as a wing.

And as USMNT fans found out this summer, he can even deputize as a left back.

Danny Williams

In Danny Williams’ USMNT appearances so far, Jurgen Klinsmann has seemed intent on using him as an outside midfielder.

The experiments have not gone particularly well, as Williams performances at the wide position have been so-so, at best.

However, Williams' preferred position is as a defensive midfielder and if used there, it would give Klinsmann the possibility to push Michael Bradley further up the pitch.

If Williams proves he can play as a defensive mid, it would also give Klinsmann the flexibility to leave perennial red-card threat Jermaine Jones at home.

Josh Gatt

Even though Gatt has yet to earn his first cap, he has been slowly been gaining attention among USMNT fans for his exploits overseas.

Playing for Molde in the Norwegian league with Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as his manager, Gatt has put together a strong year.

Blessed with world-class speed, Gatt will give the USMNT a good option out wide and can play outside back in a pinch.

Clint Dempsey

Dempsey is coming off his best season yet in England and shows no signs of slowing down anytime in the near future.

Dempsey is easily the USMNT’s most dangerous weapon as he showed in the  historic 1-0 win over Italy in February and in scoring the U.S.’s lone goal in its difficult away World Cup qualifier against Guatemala in June.

Stuart Holden

Holden has endured a rough couple of years, first having his leg broken by Nigel DeJong in a friendly only months before the 2010 World Cup.

Then, after recovering from that injury in time to make the 2010 squad, Holden was enjoying a career year with Bolton before Jonny Evans’ reckless challenge destroyed his knee.

Holden has had to go through two reconstructive surgeries since Evans’ tackle, but Holden has remained remarkably upbeat through his recovery.

Don’t bet against him being back to form and winning back his spot with the USMNT by 2014.

Herculez Gomez

Gomez, like many American strikers, seems to have hit his best form at an age when many European strikers are reaching the end of their careers.

Gomez will be 32 when the next World Cup rolls around, but has a knack for goal and seems to be able to put together a good run of form without needing time to settle in as many strikers do.

This ability to come through straight away is key in an international tournament when your team must hit the ground running.

Terrence Boyd

Over the past year, Boyd has begun to show flashes of brilliance that have many USMNT fans excited. He impressed in a series of European friendlies with the U.S. U-23 team and played well in the CONCACAF Olympic qualifiers despite the U.S. team’s failure to qualify.

Now Boyd is starting to show his quality in Austria with a strong preseason for his new club Rapid Vienna.

By 2014, he should be at full steam.

Jozy Altidore

Even though Altidore enjoyed a rough summer with the USMNT becoming embroiled in a club vs. country fight, his quick start this season in the Eredivisie shows that he is ready to put that behind him.

Jozy has already scored four goals in two games for AZ Alkmaar and, at 22, is just beginning to show his true potential.

Brek Shea

A month ago, Shea looked to be the latest casualty in the long line of American footballers who were declared to be the next big thing.

Following a very strong 2011 campaign in Major League Soccer, a number of USMNT call-ups and even training with Arsenal last winter, Shea quickly fell into a slump once the New Year began.

First, Shea was unimpressive with the U.S. U-23 team as they were dumped out of Olympic qualifying, then he began to struggle with his form and finally had a public blowout with FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman.

However, Shea made the most of last week’s gracious call-up from Jurgen Klinsmann to play against Mexico, setting up the game-winning goal with a nice endline run which displayed Shea’s pace and power.

By 2014, if Shea is hitting on all cylinders, he could be a force to be reckoned with.

Mix Diskerud

Probably the biggest long shot to make the roster, Diskerud also has one of the largest upsides of any of the USMNT’s young players.

Diskerud has proven with both the U.S. U-23 team and in a number of call-ups with the senior national team that he has a level of composure in the box that is very rare in American players.

It’s not inconceivable that Diskerud and Joe Corona could be fighting one another for one of the last spots on the USMNT’s World Cup roster.

Landon Donovan

Despite seeing some less-than-inspiring outings lately and hearing talk of early retirement, Klinsmann simply can’t leave Landon Donovan off the roster.

For the past two decades, Donovan has been the USMNT’s talisman, coming up for the team in the big games when they have needed him most.

While he is certainly near the end of his career, Donovan will find the motivation for one more big performance in 2014.

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